So many people seem to be going overboard about Alli he must feel like the last man on deck of the Titanic, so let’s put his undeniable talent in context.

Already he has decorated his first season in the Premier League with eight yellow cards, and there should have been a ninth for his snide spat with Van Aanholt – but make no mistake, Alli is a rough diamond.

Although Spurs’ winning margin proved that flattery gets you everywhere, they dominated in midfield.

Pochettino said of Alli’s hospital pass to Sunderland goal-scorer Van Aanholt: “I didn’t see it – I was on the toilet. This is the truth. But he needs to learn a lot, because it’s a little bit naughty.

“I like how he is because you need to be a little bit naughty when you play football, but he is young and we need to accept he has to learn in a professional side. He’s come from MK Dons, he was playing in League One last season but he is what he is, that is his character.

“Sometimes you need to be hard with him, sometimes you need to be friendly and give him some love. It’s like your son. But I will explain and show that it is better he reacted in a different way.”

Sign of the times: Spurs handed Deli Alli a new contract last week (Photo: Getty)

Two goals by Christian Eriksen, one from Mousa Dembele and Harry Kane’s penalty proved too much for Sunderland after travelling 2,000 miles to away games at Arsenal, Swansea and then White Hart Lane in the space of eight days.

Eriksen’s goals were his first in the Premier League since October 4, and he admitted: “My own form has been a bit up and down. Some games I have done all right, in others I have been pretty poor and made little mistakes when there was no need for it.

“It’s true that I haven’t scored as many goals as I would like this season, although I have had more assists. I haven’t been that bad – I haven’t gone missing, I’m still here.”

Sunderland, whose home game with Bournemouth on Saturday is now critical, were competitive until manager Sam Allardyce’s substitutions backfired.

New-signing defender Jan Kirchhoff, for example, came on in the 58th minute, saw Eriksen's second goal deflect off him on the way to goal and then conceded the penalty.

Debut to forget: Ex-Bayern Munich Kirchhoff played a part in two of Spurs' goals (Photo: Action Images via Reuters / Paul Childs)

Big Sam did at least have the courage of his convictions to hand England Under-21 Jordan Pickford his first Premier League start, and the result was harsh on the young keeper.

Pickford said: “I only found out I was playing on the morning, so my parents didn’t have time to come down.

“To concede four doesn’t look very good, but one was a penalty, one took a big deflection and the first was one that you can’t help sometimes.”